“Guidance is the key to having a good community,” so says 17-year-old Shaira Mae Pelones, an active peer educator and facilitator of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) to youth living in the urban district of Paco in Manila. “What the youth need are the correct guidance and instruction on ASRH, which is so important for them.”
Shaira relates that teenage pregnancy is one of the most prevalent issues in her community. She attributes this to the fact that the youth are generally unaware of reproductive health matters, such as contraception. For over three years now, Shaira has been teaching children and youth aged 9 to 18 regarding family planning, the use of contraceptives, the physical and emotional changes they undergo during adolescence, and problems they might encounter regarding sexual and reproductive health. Given the sensitive nature of some of these topics, Shaira and her co-facilitators use age-appropriate materials and methods to help young people better understand them.
As a facilitator, Shaira gets approached by youth who have ASRH-related questions or problems. They are more comfortable opening up to her and the other youth facilitators because speaking to someone their own age makes them feel more understood. The usual concerns they bring up are pressure from partners or peers, curiosity about sexual activity, or if they are making the right decisions. The youth facilitators give them careful guidance and remind them that they should always make responsible choices. They also advise teenage parents to use contraception to prevent further pregnancies.
Shaira was happy to share that many adolescents in her community are now more knowledgeable on ASRH and that the number of teenage pregnancies in some barangays has started to decline. She knows that she and her fellow facilitators are doing a good job because these young people are heeding their advice.
She chose to pursue this advocacy because she saw the need to raise the awareness of the youth in her community and she is convinced that all adolescents, regardless of gender, should have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, services, and support. Apart from this, she genuinely enjoys sharing her knowledge of ASRH and finds great fulfillment in helping her fellow youth.
In the future, Shaira wants to pass the baton to new ASRH youth facilitators before looking back and seeing that she has served her community well. This Psychology major then hopes to continue spreading awareness of the importance of ASRH as a counselor. She shares, “I want to continue doing this if I have the chance. ASRH knowledge, guidance and support are crucial because the youth will always be faced with these kinds of problems. I believe that this advocacy enables them to take control of their lives and overcome challenges.”
